Ice creeper



D604, 1951 NORDlN 2,577,478

ICE CREEPER Filed March 28, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

fl T TORNE Y Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alask Application March 28, 1950, Serial No. 152,424

3 Claims. (01. ss s1 This invention relates to ice creepers of a type adapted to be worn on the feet over the shoes and an object of this invention is to provide an ice creeper having a spike carrying portion which is pivotally movable between an operative position underneath the shank portion of a shoe sole and an inoperative position in which it extends upwardly alongside of the shoe.

Another object is to provide an ice creeper for use on the foot which has a spike carrying portion adapted to be quickly and easily moved between an operative position and a retracted position without removing the ice creeper from the foot thus making it possible to have the benefit of the spikes under the shoe sole when walking on ice and slippery surfaces and to fold said spikes out of the way without removing the ice creeper from the foot when walking on non-slippery surfaces such as floors and sidewalks.

Another object of this invention is to provide an ice creeper which is quickly and easily adjustable to foot wear of different size and which can be worn over shoes, boots, pacs, overshoes and the like.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an ice creeper which is simple in construction, not expensive to manufacture, easy to put on and take off and convenient to wear when a person is walking on slippery surfaces part of the time and nonslippery surfaces part of the time.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of an ice creeper constructed in accordance with this invention showing the top side of a footplateand the bottom or spike carrying side of a spike carrying plate and with the two plates shown in a common plane.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same looking in the direction of broken line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of this ice creeper as the same mayappear when the spike carrying folding plate thereof is in an operative position underneath the footplate and further showing fragments of straps connected with the footplate.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary edge view of this ice creeper showing the spike carrying folding plate thereof in a raised or inoperative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, on a smaller .scale than Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, showing this ice creeper applied to a shoe,"th'e ice creeper being shown in end elevation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view 11OW- 2 ing a strap attachment bracket and a fragment of a footplate.

Fig. 7 is a' detached perspective view showing another strap attachment bracket.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view showing a spike carrying plate of modified form which is provided with detachable spikes which can be replaced when worn or damaged. Y

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view takenon line-9-9of Fig. 8 and showing a detachable spike member.

Fig. 10 is a detached side view showing a strap attachment bracket of modified form.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing a footplate having a slot adapted to adjustably. receive the strap attachment. bracket shown in Fig. 10, a rivet member of the-strap attachment bracket being shown in said Fig. 11.

Like reference numerals designate like'parts throughout the several views.

In Figs. 1.to '7. inclusive I 5 designates a metal footplate having on one end a fixed upwardly extending strap receiving bracket I 6 which is provided with a transverse slot I! to receive a strap l8, Fig. 3. Preferably the bracket I6 is inclined outwardly as shown, whereby when said footplate is worn crosswise of a shoe sole under the shank portion thereof 'the bracket l6 will conform approximately to the slope of the side of the foot. Preferably the outer face of the bracket 16 is provided with a groove 20, Fig. 6, which extends from the bottom of said bracket upwardly part way to the top thereof and which terminates in a recess 2| of greater depth than the groove. The groove 20 and recess 2! cooper ate to releasably hold a spike carrying folding plate 22 in an operative position, as more fully hereinafter explained. i

A longitudinal slot 23 is provided in the footplate l5 near the end thereof opposite the bracket 16 and cooperates in supporting an adjustable strap receiving bracket 24, Fig. 7. The bracket 24 has a slot 25 to receive a strap 26 which cooperates with the strap H3 in securing the footplate 15 to the foot of the user. The bracket 24 has an integral base'portion 21 which is disposed substantially at right angles to said bracket 24 and is connected with the bracket 24 by a neck part 28. The neck part 28 is narrow enough to vfit within and cooperate with the slot 23. Two notches 29 are provided at opposite sides of the neck part 28. A block or plate 30 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the base part 21 in line with the neck part 28. This block 30 openates in the slot 23 of the footplate l5 and prevents the bracket 24 from turning sidewise when said bracket is in an upri ht position relative to the footplate. By tilting the bracket 24 substantially parallel to the footplate I5 and turning said bracket at the proper angle it is possible to pass the base part 21 through the slot 23 and either engage the bracket 24 with the footplate I5 or disengage the same from said footplate I5. The bracket 24 is self adjusting to feet and shoes of different size'within the limits afforded by the slot 23.

The spike carrying plate 22 is pivotally connected, as by a hinge pin 3 I, with the end portion of the footplate I5 adjacent the slot 23. Preferably the hinge pin 3| is secured, as by cross pins 32, to the spike carrying plate 22 so that the hinge pin 3| can be used as a means to hold the hat side 34 which is adapted to 'be engaged by a flat spring 35 when the spike carrying plate 22 is in the raised position shown in Fig. 4. This spring 35 will yieldingly hold the spike carrying plate 22 in the raised position and will permit said plate 22 to be quickly and easily lowered at any time. The fiat Spring 35 is secured to the foot plate l5.

The spike carrying plate 22 carries a plurality of spikes 36 which may be of triangular shape and may be formed by punching out and bending' outwardly parts of the plate 22 along the edges thereof. Four spikes 36 are shown but ohviously a greater or less number of said spikes may be provided. Also 'I may use a spike carrying plate 31, see Figs. 8 and 9, which has spikes 38 removably and replaceably secured thereto as by welding nuts 39 to said plate 31 and threading the spikes 38 into these nuts 39. v

The outer end portion of the spike carrying plate 22 is bent substantially at right angles to said plate 22 to provide a latch portion 40 and this latch portion 40 has an 0111-, turned end portion 4| to facilitate its disengagement from the 'footplate l5 as hereinafter explained. The latch portion 40 has a rib 42 and further has a rounded 'knob 43 at the upper or outer end of the rib 42. The rib 42 and knob 43 are adapted to fit within the groove 20 and recess 2| respectively in the upstanding strap receiving bracket I6 'whenthe spike carrying plate 22 is in the operative position shown in Fig. 3. The rib 24 cooperates with the groove 20 to prevent relative sidewise movement of the two plates 16 and 23 and thus relieves the hinge pin and hinge structure of much strain. The knob '43 snaps into the recess 2| and the plate 22 is thereby prevented from swinging downwardly while in use. The user can disengage the knob from the recess 2| by pressing downwardly with one foot on the out turned end portion 4| of the latch member 4|] worn on the other foot.

Figs. 10 and '11 show an adjustable strap receiving bracket means of modified formcomprising a .fo'otplate 44 provided with a slot 45 having corrugated or wave like edges which make the said slot 45 narrower at some places than it is at other places. .An enlarged opening 46 is provided at one end -of said slot 45. A strap receiving bracket 41 has a base 48 provided with afixed rivet 49 having ahead 50. The rivet 48 is "flattened on preferably two opposite sides, as shown in'Fig. 11. The head 50 can be passed "through the enlarged opening 46 thus making the bracket 41 easy to apply to and remove from the footplate 44. When the rivet 49 is in the position in the footplate 44 shown in Fig. 11 the bracket 41 will be crosswise of said footplate and will be restrained against movement along the slot 45. When the bracket 41 is turned parallel to the slot 45 then the rivet 49 is movable or adjustable along the slot 45. This bracket 41 is not self adjusting but it can be manually adjusted along the slot 45 when the footplate is detached from the foot and said bracket 41 be held in any position into which it is adjusted.

The spike carrying plate of this device can be quickly and easily moved from and operative to .an inoperative position and Vice versa thus making it convenient and time saving for wear when the user is changing frequently from icy to nonicy surfaces.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose preferred embodiments of this invention but it will be understod that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A folding ice creeper comprising a footplate positioned crosswise beneath the shank portion of a shoe; two spaced apart upstanding strap receiving brackets on said footplate extended upwardly along opposite sides of a shoe; strap means connected with said two upstanding brackets; a spike carrying plate having one end portion thereof hinged to one side of said footplate 'to selectively position said spike carrying plate between a position at right angles to the footplate and a position in face to face relation with the footplate; and a plurality of spikes of triangular shape integral with said spike carrying plate and perpendicular to said spike carrying plate and positioned along lateral edges of said spike carrying plate.

2. A folding 'ice creeper applicable to a shoe worn on the foot comprising a footplate positioned crosswise beneath the shank portion of the shoe; two spaced apart upstanding strap receiving brackets on said footpl'ate extended upwardly at opposite sides of the shoe; strap means connected with said brackets; a spike carrying plate having one end portion thereof hinged to one side of said footplate for folding movement of the spike carrying plate between a position underneath the footplate and an upwardly extending position at one side of the shoe so that, it will be alongside of the shoe when the ice creeper is on a shoe; spikes carried by said spike carrying plate; and spring means yieldingly holdin said spike carrying plate in an upwardly extending position relative to said footplate.

3. A folding ice creeper comprising a footplate positioned crosswise beneath the shank of a shoe; two spaced apart upstanding strap receiving brackets on said footplate extended upwardly at opposite sides of the shoe; strap means connected with said brackets; a spike carrying plate having one end portion thereof hinged to one side of said .footpla-te for folding movement of the spike carrying plate between an operative position in face to face relation with the footplate .and an inoperative position at right angles to the footplate; spikes carried by said spike carrying plate; spring .means ,yieldingly holding said spike carryin plateperpendicular relative to said footplate; an approximately perpendicular integral latch portion provided on the outer end portion of said spike carrying plate and positioned alongside of one of said upstanding strap receiving brackets when said spike carrying plate is face to face with said footplate; and interfitting projection and recess means provided on the adjacent faces of said latch portion and the upstanding bracket 5 engaged thereby, whereby said footplate and said spike carrying plate are releasably latched in face to face relation and relative sidewise movement of said two plates is prevented.

NILS ALBIN NORDIN.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,435,765 Tulkan Nov, 14, 1922 2,431,748 Gershak Dec. 2, 1947 

